Trap.



A. HEMME.

TRAP.

APPLICATIOH FILED SEPT-20, 1916.

7 I V WMMW 156 m 1 6f. 3 15 V AUGUST HEMME, or DUBLIN, ONTARIO, CANADA.

TRAP.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented July 17, 1917..

Application filed September 20, 1916. Serial No. 121,263.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUs'r I-IEMME, of the village of Dublin, in thecounty of Perth, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, have inventedcertain new and usefulImprovements in Traps, of which the following isthe specification.

My invention relates to improvements in animal traps and the object ofthe invention is to devise a simple, effective-and cheap form of trapfor catching animals such as rats and mice and it consists essentiallyof a casing having an open top, a. removable cover for such open top, anopening in the cover, a wall extending from the cover around the edge ofthe opening, a spring held flap pivoted beneath the cover and extendingbeneath the aforesaid opening, means for regulating the tension of thespring, and bait supporting means extending from the inner face of thewall surrounding the coveropening as hereinafter more particularlyexplained by the follow ing specification.

Figure 1, is a perspective view of my device.

Fig. 2, is a longitudinal section through Fig. 1.

Fig. 3, is an enlarged perspective detail of the pivoted flap.

In the drawings like figures of reference indicate corresponding partsin each figure.

1 isa container or casing having an open top and a vertical slot 2 inthe front wall thereof (see Fig. 2). 3 is a cover for the open top ofthe casing 1 having a surrounding depending edge rim 4 fitting aroundthe upper edge of the open top of the casing 1 when the cover 8 is inposition. 5 is a longitudinal slot formed in the cover 3. 6 is arectangular opening (see dotted lines Fig. 1) also formed in the cover 3at the opposite end to that in which the slot 5 is located. 7 is a wallextending upwardly from the cover 3! and extending around the edge ofthe opening 6. The inner portion 8 of the surrounding wall 7 ispreferably of less height than the opposite portion 9. The

upper edges of the end portions 10 and 11 are inclined upwardly from thetop of the portion. 8 tothe top of the portion 9.

12 is a bait hook secured to the inner face of the wall portion 9 and onwhich suitable bait 13 is held. 14 is a notch formed in eachlongitudinal. side wall of the container 1.- 15

is a rod extending through the notches 14 passlng at ltS'BIldS into thedepending rim portion 4 of the cover 3. 16 is a flap which i ispreferably formed as shown particularly in Fig. 3 with a longitudinalslot 17, an inwardly rolled portion 18 which wraps around the rod 15,and a tongue 19 which extends centrally from the end of the rolledportion 18. The tongue 19- as will be clearly seen in thisfigure passesthrough the slot 17 as the rolled portion 18 is formed and the tongueassumes a positionextendinghorr zontally at a slightly higher level thanthe body of the flap 16. Thus when the flap 16 is in position within thecontainer as shown particularly in Fig. 2, the body of the flap extendsin its normal position against the under face of the cover portion 3 andbeneath the rectangular opening 6 so as to form a closure for the same.The tongue portion 19 when the flap is in this position fits into theslot 5 formed in the cover so as to form a closure for the same when theflap is in the normal position. 20 is an L-shaped eye bolt thehorizontal portion of the bolt being threaded and extending through theslot 2. The horizontal portion of the eye bolt 20 is also provided withan enlarge ment 21 which is wider than the slot 2 and bears against theinner face of the wall of the container. 22 is a butter-fly nut screwedonto the threaded portion of the eye bolt against the outer wall of thecasing. 23 is a tension spring connected at one end to the eye of theeye bolt 20 and at the opposite end to an eye 24 carried by the outerend of the tongue 19. 25 and 26 are pins extending laterally from therim 4 of the container cover 3. 27 are hooks pivotally connected to theside walls of the container and designed to hook over the laterallyextending pins 25 and 26 to hold the cover in place.

When in use the trap is placed on the ground and a stick or othersuitable means is laid against the container in a slanting position soas to form a run-way for the animal onto the top of the container. Theanimal attracted by the bait climbs over the low end wall portion 8 ofthe surrounding wall 7 and jumps onto the flap 16 which forms ayieldable closure for the opening .6. The opposite wall 9 is preferablyhigher so that theanimal cannot reach over to the bait fromthat side ofthe opening. As soon as the animal jumps on to the flap 16 the springyields allowing the flap to swing downwardly throwing the animal intothe casing 1. As soon as the flap is relieved of the weight of theanimal it immediately flies up into and adjusting the bolt 20"vertically in the slot 2'. As soon as again: tightened. r

From this description it will be seen that I have devised: a- Verysimple form of trap which may be: adapted for catching smallanimals andwhich, will be efficient. and not this isdone the nut is therein, a wallextending upwardly from the container cover and surroiunling suchopening, bait supporting means carried by the wall, a: flap pivotallysupported \viihin the container and designed at its free end to closetheopening in the container cover when in its normal position, a tongueextending rearwand l-y from the liap from the opposite side to its pointof swing, a tension spring secured to the end of the tongue, andadjustable means for securing the opposite end of the spring to the wallof the container, as and for the purpose specified.

AUGUST I-HQMME. Witnesses B. BOYD, Ga. L. SEIGLEY.

Gopies of. thispaztent may be, obtained. for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Iatcnts,

' Washington, D. G.

